Shengal (Sinjar)- The Arab women living in Shengal have carried out many activities and events to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The women gathered in the Mediban and Hasevik villages of Shengal to hold a march as part of their activities; however, the Iraqi army did not allow them. Thereupon, the women issued a press statement. The women held the photographs of Nagihan Akarsel, member of the Jineology Academy who was assassinated in Sulaymaniyah on October 4, and the women, who lost their lives during the genocide committed by ISIS in Shengal.

Zehra Îsa read the press statement condemning the ongoing attacks on North and East Syria on behalf of the women. “We have seen the most dangerous and brutal face of ISIS. We, of course, have been suffering from the patriarchal mentality for years,” the statement said.

They promised to struggle with the philosophy of “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi”

The statement noted that the women's uprising that started in Rojhilat and Iran following the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini has a significant impact in the countries of the region, and that the uprising led by women demanding the change of the regime has been felt and supported by all women. “The uprising led by women chanting the slogan of ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadi (English: Women, Life, Freedom) shows that the 21st century will be the century of women. We say that there is no life without women and there is no revolution without women. We will keep struggling until we end the patriarchal mentality. We will strengthen our struggle for freedom with the philosophy of Jin, Jiyan, Azadi,” Zehra Îsa said in the statement.

“We do not accept slavery”

NuJINHA spoke to Qiyade Hîlal, member of the Arab Women’s Assembly. She told us, “We no longer accept slavery. In our society, comprehensive policies of violence against women have been carried out, but the women’s struggle will end these policies. The chains of slavery and barriers against women will be broken. Everyone says that women make up half of the world population; however, leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) says that a country cannot be free unless the women are free. We believe in his ideology.” Qiyade Hîlal thinks women have the power to change their societies, “If we unite, we can change our societies.”